Just when you thought things were getting back to normal:
$200 oil: traders are now betting on $200 oil by the end of March, 2022 -- that's less than three weeks.
EVs: granted, my twitter feed is very pro-oil very anti-renewable energy, but having said that, those who I follow are pretty good at what they do: follow and analyze energy. Going through the twitter feed this morning suggests that things are not going all that well for EV owners. Common them: high cost of electricity for charging and "range-anxiety."
EVs: electric vehicles will be luxury goods for the next twenty years. Not enough copper production in the world to upgrade the electrical grid or make the batteries required at a reasonable cost for mass adoption. As EVs get more expensive, they will make less sense for 98% of Americans.
EVs: Tesla rivals Lucid, Rivian, Fisker struggling to compete. The stock market has stopped being kind to EV companies that show more promise (LOL) than results. A long and very good article.
EVs: Rivian stock tumbles as EV maker hikes prices ahead of earnings. How this was handled, by the way, was a PR disaster for Rivian.
Charging footprint: even with long gas lines, it only takes five minutes to fill up an ICE. These cars will each take 15 minutest to 45 minutes to charge. And this is a fairly normal day, I would imagine. There's just no way there's this kind of room for parking EVs waiting to be charged in west Los Angeles. Link here. Note the URL.
Shell: well, that didn't take long -- Shell got a lot of negative press when it said it would still buy Russian oil to keep the price of oil from surging. Shell says it will stop all spot purchases of Russian crude.
Most perplexing: all of a sudden the blue states have the least expensive gasoline? Link here. Great catch by my most "eagle-eyed" reader. So, if you don't have television, and you are listening to NRP, the host will note that the blue states have the least expensive gasoline. Neither my reader nor I can make this stuff up.
Talked with a veterinarian Surgeon yesterday. He has a Chev Volt and drives from Columbia SC to Aiken once a month. Does it all on single charge. (120 miles r/t)
ReplyDeleteHere's the kicked. He has solar panels and charges the Volt with those. Hasnt paid for elec for years.
First example of how EV/solar panels make sense.
Actually, this is the kicker: a veterinarian surgeon. Upper 1% of income. Lives in own home. Forty percent of Americans do not own home. I doubt this is his only car. But yes, EVs have a niche.
DeleteI live in an apartment. Huge apartment complex. One EV charging station.
DeleteAnd he is "Semi-retired" Helps out with out-lying pets hospitals doing stuff the local vet may not have the expertise in.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes the Volt is not the only car they have. And have not taken it on a long trip, as they "would have to map out the charging stations"- The downside of EV. Commuter cars only
Yes, I am interested in getting an EV, even with the one charging station in our apartment complex. I have spoken to several folks with an EV. I was pretty much sold on the Bolt until the millennial told me how much he paid for it. My ICE favorite, a Honda Civic, had much better value.
DeleteI spoke to another individual who went with a friend to visit "Hill Country" near Texas capital south of us. They had a great time, but the biggest challenge was mapping their trip to make sure they could find a charging station, and even with a "map" they had "range anxiety."
So, I'm back to holding off on an EV, but I would really enjoy one. It would not be for long drives -- it would be local driving, but that price for a little compact?